We best know Faith Taylor for fronting the excellent Suggested Friends and as the guitarist in the current incarnation of Chorusgirl. On top of that, we discovered this week that Faith also has an impressive solo back catalogue of her own. That’s set to expand at the start of May with the release of Faith’s latest album, Soon. Recorded back in 2015 in Oxfordshire, Soon is Faith’s first release since 2014’s debut album Beechcomber. The record has gone somewhat against its title taking two years to come out, but is set to be the latest offering from up and coming DIY tape label, For The Sake Of Tapes. Today we’re sharing the first cut from that record in the shape of the new single, Hide Ur Heart.

Within seconds of Hide Ur Heart beginning you realise you’re in different musical territory to Faith’s other projects. Faith is accompanied by just a dexterously strummed acoustic guitar bringing to mind the likes of Tracy Chapman or Chris Pureka with whom Faith has previously shared a stage. Vocally too, this is a considerably more considered and smooth offering than we’ve heard previously from Faith: there’s even a touch of Carol King or Natalie Merchant about the crystalline delivery. Lyrically it seems to touch on the idea of hiding yourself away from the world for fear of getting burnt. Faith’s delivery is a mixture of world-weariness and romantic optimism, as she sings, “they keep on coming for you, so hide your heart beneath the street, I tread so lightly on it baby that you won’t even feel my feet”.

Hide Ur Heart is a fine introduction for newcomers to Faith’s work, and a track that showcases a flexibility to her music; a songwriter capable of turning their hand to any number of styles, and making them all sound natural. Now surely the only difficulty will be fitting a solo tour into her already very packed gig schedule.

Soon is out on cassette May 3rd via For The Sake Of Tapes. Visit their website for more information.